AZ APTA responds to TOEFL inquiry

Yesterday, I posted a blog about the problems of having an inflexible TOEFL requirements in AZ and another state. Then, I emailed the AZ APTA about this issue and our emails went as follow:

Thank you so much for your response. I do believe that the passing score is too strict for foreign applicants. Also, there aren't any exemptions in place for applicants like myself who have been practicing in US for quite sometime now.
Most universities just require a cumulative score of 80 for one to be accepted in a program. And it's understandable as schools need to know if a foreign applicant will be successful in case they get accepted in the program.
In our case as PTs, we passed NPTE which is in English. Not to mention jurisprudence exams and oral exams in some states. What is there to prove?
I was against taking TOEFL from the beginning but I did it due to personal reasons.
I believe 2-3 years experience is adequate to prove that a clinician can practice and communicate effectively as a Physical therapist.
Having a shortage in PT in most states and with the trend of DPT, I strongly believe that we should consider foreign grads to fill the needs instead of making it hard for every foreign grad to apply.
I wish you all the best and hopefully we can change this system to accomodate foreign grads in AZ.

Yours truly,
Ronald Samaniego, PT


On Wed, 6/3/09, Heidi Herbst Paakkonen <info@aptaaz.org> wrote:

> From: Heidi Herbst Paakkonen <info@aptaaz.org>
> Subject: RE: AZ PT
> To: "'ronald samaniego'" <ronald456@yahoo.com>
> Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 4:38 PM
> Dear Mr. Samaniego,
>
> Thank you for your inquiry. At a recent AzPTA Membership
> Meeting one of our
> members did offer a motion asking the AzPTA to adopt the
> position that the
> passing score requirement for the iBT for a foreign
> educated physical
> therapist is too high and that the score should be adjusted
> to reflect what
> other states require. The AzPTA membership voted instead on
> an amendment to
> the motion that directs the matter to AzPTA Board of
> Directors for purposes
> of studying the issue and report back to the membership.
> The AzPTA Board of
> Directors may address this on its July 16 Board meeting
> agenda, but nothing
> formal or official has yet occurred relative to this
> matter.
>
> I recommend you check back with me in August as I may have
> updates for you
> at that time in terms of whether the AzPTA is going to take
> a position on
> the law in Arizona as it related to the iBT passing score
> requirements for
> foreign-educated physical therapists.
>
> Regards,
> Heidi
>
> Heidi Herbst Paakkonen, M.P.A., Executive Director
> Arizona Physical Therapy Association
> 1843 East Southern Avenue, Suite 4
> Tempe, AZ 85282
> 602.569.9101 1.800.264.2782
> 480.603.4141 - facsimile
> mailto:info@aptaaz.org
> www.aptaaz.org

I strongly believe that foreign PT grads can fill a lot of needs in every state. Especially with trend of DPT as entry level requirement. I hope every foreign grad will support this as we will all benefit from the results if ever it went into our favor. Email Heidi Herbst Paakkonen. Her information is listed above. I will keep in touch with her regarding this matter. It's time for a change, everyone. We can't be passive anymore. We have to exercise our rights to practice without too much restrictions from each state. We'll start with this.